Microdischarge lamp and array

Abstract

A microdischarge device having a gas or vapor contained in a microcavity and in electrical contact with a semiconductor substrate, preferably a silicon wafer. A preferred structure includes successive cathode substrate or film, dielectric, and conductive anode layers with the anode and dielectric layers penetrated by a plurality of microcavities to allow electrical contact between the discharge medium and the substrate cathode layer. A hollow cathode structure includes a microcavity that penetrates the cathode. An optical waveguide network may be used in addition to collect and concentrate emission from groups of individual microcavities. The small aperture of the cavity area, of about 1 to 400 micrometers in diameter, enable the electrons in the discharge to be ballistic under certain conditions and permit the gas pressure to exceed one atmosphere. In addition, the small dimensions permit resonance radiation, such as the 254 nm line of atomic mercury, to be extracted efficiently from the discharge volume. Also, these discharges are able to produce transient molecular species, such as the XeI excimer species, on a continuous basis.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.